The List Issue

Everybody loves lists: Letterman's Top 10 list, Christmas lists, to-do lists.
We're no different. And because we're always talking about our favorite execs
among Microsoft's top echelon, what we think of various mergers and other rumblings
in the industry, who said what, and how Microsoft's competitors stack up, we
wanted to share those thoughts and conversations with you.

We've hit on a number of offbeat categories, weighing in on our favorite executive
side gigs, favorite executives from other companies in the IT world, blogs we
can't miss -- and those we would just as soon avoid. Let us know if you agree
or disagree with us at editor@redmondmag.com.
(For the full list, see Table 1.)

Most Influential Exec1. Ray Ozzie: The intellectual heir apparent to Bill Gates who
brings a kinder, gentler presence to the software juggernaut.

2. Bill Gates: It's his last year as a full-time exec, and his philanthropic
efforts are nothing short of astonishing.

3. Steve Ballmer: Still outrageous, aggressive and sometimes obnoxious,
but you end up liking him anyway (unless you compete with him).

4. J Allard: Changed Bill Gates' thinking about the Internet through
his 1995 memo to the chairman, entitled: "Windows: The Next Killer Application
on the Internet." By some accounts, he still has influence on Web-based
matters. Currently, he oversees the company's Xbox and Zune product lines.

5. Craig Mundie: As Microsoft's chief research and strategy officer
since June 2006, he assumed half of Bill Gates' duties when Gates announced
his eventual retirement. Like Ozzie, who has the other half of Gates' job, Mundie
offers a calming presence as he helps shape the company's research efforts and
works with corporate lawyers to guide its technology policies.

6. Jeff Raikes: One of Microsoft's longest high-ranking executives now
in charge of its sprawling but critical Unified Communications strategy. A true
survivor. Could be an easy winner in a Bill Gates look-alike contest.

7. Eric Rudder: Has a clear view on how Microsoft's technology should
work together.

8. Steve Sinofsky: Hasn't had much to say to the outside world in his
first 18 months as head of the world's largest development organization (Windows).
But we are guessing he will be one of our favorites once he begins to
speak.

9. Tami Reller: She was a strong candidate to replace Satya Nadella
has head of the Microsoft Business Solutions Group, but Kirill Tatarinov got
the job instead. Nevertheless, she's been a passionate leader for the group
and a solid Dynamics evangelist.

10. S. "Soma" Somasegar: Hates coffee, loves chocolate and
keeps it relaxed as Microsoft rolls out an unprecedented amount of technology
for the developer division.

Wildest Microsoft Executive Side Gig1. Charles Simonyi: He has a budding career as an amateur astronaut,
dates Martha Stewart and runs Intentional Software Corp.

2. Paul Allen: He established the Experience Music Project | Science
Fiction Museum and Hall of Fame, ran the X-prize space race and has a yacht
the size of Florida -- he's truly living out his dreams.

3. Jeff Raikes: Along with some Microsoft counterparts, Raikes owns
part of the Seattle Mariners.

4. Don Gagne: He's the former head of development for Microsoft Office,
who spends his days racing Porsche 911s and blogging on racing.latestfiasco.com.

5. Bill Gates: Given his efforts to stamp out disease and poverty with
the $60 billion Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, he somehow finds time to
keep an eye on Microsoft's $51 billion operation.(Back to Table)

Smartest Executive Hire1. Ray Ozzie coming to Microsoft as Bill Gates' ostensible replacement.
Ozzie has invigorated the company like no other in the last decade.

2. Kevin Turner leaving Wal-Mart Stores Inc. to come to Microsoft as
its new COO.

3. Brian McAndrews (former CEO at aQuantative Inc.) is going after Google
and helping nab a stake in Facebook as the new head of Microsoft's online ad
business.(Back to Table)

Biggest Executive Departure1. Bill Gates: He hasn't stepped down yet, but has announced the end
of his reign next spring. Remains to be seen just how far removed he'll be from
strategic decision making.

2. Jim Allchin: Mr. Windows, a true gentleman, takes his leave.

3. Tim Chen: He left Microsoft China to head the NBA's Chinese operations.(Back to Table)

2. Steve Ballmer: Unlike many of the follicle-challenged, Ballmer has
thus far resisted the urge to shave it all off.

3. Dan Bricklin: The co-creator of VisiCalc, Bricklin's hair and beard
have changed little since the '70s. It still looks as if he stayed up all night
coding.(Back to Table)

Favorite Executive Quote"When the hype settles down, people have to settle in to the pragmatic
reality, which is that [Microsoft's] product sucks."
-John W. Thompson, Symantec Corp. CEO on Microsoft Forefront(Back to Table)

Favorite Non-Microsoft Executives
1. Linus Torvalds: He's not the next Bill Gates, nor does he need to
be. He's the first Linus Torvalds. His status as the most influential person
in the open source community remains intact and figures to stay that way as
open source products continue to chip away at Microsoft's market share.

2. Steve Jobs: Any number of high-level Microsoft executives talk about
how important innovation is to the success of their products. Steve Jobs actually
delivers it. The iPod vs. Zune? Leopard vs. Vista? We'll leave it at that.

3. John W. Thompson: Never one to back away from a fight against Microsoft,
Thompson has done an admirable job during the last eight years of keeping Symantec
competitive in a number of key markets, particularly security.(Back to Table)

Best Merger or Acquisition1. Google buying DoubleClick (although the deal has not yet closed):
Just remember, Google-use your powers for good, not evil.

2. Symantec buying Altiris: It made a lot of sense for both companies,
and apparently the integration has been smooth (from the outside at least),
with Altiris remaining as an independent brand.

3. Microsoft buying aQuantative: It may be too late to catch Google
in Web advertising, but Microsoft is giving it a shot.

4. HP and Compaq: Hotly contested by the Hewlett family at first, the
new company has surpassed IBM as the industry's largest high-tech company. Maybe
Carly knew what she was doing after all.

5. Quest buying ScriptLogic: Makes for a nice, full set of Windows management
tools, and Quest is doing its best to leave ScriptLogic alone.(Back to Table)

Worst Merger or Acquisition1. Microsoft buying aQuantive: By trying to become an Internet ad agency,
Microsoft may lose focus on its core businesses, which are under threat.We feel
the same way about Google and Yahoo! buying into the ad world, which opens the
floodgates for more obnoxious online advertising.

3. Caldera International Inc. acquiring the Santa Cruz Operation: SCO
then threatened Linux users and vendors over intellectual property rights, which
a judge said SCO never had in the first place.(Back to Table)

Favorite Public Meltdown
Ballmer threw a chair at Mark Lucovsky (one of the keynote speakers for Web
Builder 2.0) after he submitted his resignation to go to work for Google.(Back to Table)

Favorite Technology of the Future
Wireless Web everywhere and Unified Communications: With both you can live where
you want.(Back to Table)

3. Oracle Corp.: The battle rages on between Oracle and SQL Server,
with one of Oracle's biggest weapons being the mouth of chairman Larry Ellison.

4. Novell Inc.: Has produced a strong Linux-based distribution and strategy,
and managed to strike a deal with Microsoft. Ballmer has not used the words
Novell and cancer in the same sentence -- yet.

5. Apple Inc.: The Zune hasn't dented iPod sales, and Leopard, the new
Mac OS, is getting good reviews.

6. SAP AG: It is to Microsoft Dynamics what Microsoft is to the rest
of the (non-ERP) software industry -- bloated, slow and behind the curve but
still utterly dominant.

7. Intuit Inc.: No one keeps home and small business finances cooking
like Scott Cook.

8. Salesforce.com Inc.: The company's Software as a Service model has
enough sass to genuinely threaten Microsoft's Software plus Services.

9. Microsoft itself: Microsoft has met the enemy and it is ... Microsoft,
especially as Windows XP gets pitted against Windows Vista.

10. Zimbra Inc.: One of the more inventive Web 2.0-based companies posing
a threat to Microsoft's collaboration business. Hopefully Yahoo!, which scooped
up Zimbra in September for $350 million, will continue that level of innovation.(Back to Table)

Blogs We Read1. Joel Spolsky:Joelonsoftware
is probably the top software blog today.

7. Terminator: Hopefully when Microsoft rules the world, they'll
be kinder than the machines.

8. Weird Science: A bizarre mix of futuristic science and teen
angst.

9. Hackers: A young kid is apprehended by the Secret Service
for writing a computer virus and can't use his system until he's 18. Realistic
and accurate high-tech dialog, and it also has a young Angelina Jolie. What
more could you want?

Favorite Public Meltdown
(Literally)
Atlanta news station WSB-TV reported that a man claimed his iPod nano exploded
in his pocket as he was wearing it. Danny Williams, who works at Hartsfield-Jackson
Atlanta International Airport, allegedly looked down and saw flames coming from
the burning iPod. The fire is believed to have originated in the lithium ion
battery, which is similar to the batteries recalled for setting laptops on fire.(Back to Table)

Favorite New Product That Flopped1. Microsoft Zune: And to think we once wanted one.

2. Windows Vista: We hear of 88 million licenses sold, but do you know
anyone who actually uses it?

Favorite "Oops" Moment
Steve Ballmer's keynote speech at Convergence in San Diego was late in the afternoon
on the last day. If Microsoft hoped to keep people for the duration of the show
by sticking Ballmer at the end, the plan backfired. The huge hall in the convention
center where Ballmer spoke was two-thirds empty when he took the stage.(Back to Table)

Must-Have Bookmarks1. Google: It's like an onion. The more layers you peel off, the more
you find.

5. Time Machine: Apple's new backup program in Leopard. H.G. Wells would
have been proud.(Back to Table)

Favorite Tech of the Past
Windows XP: Truly a better Windows than Vista. Faster, cleaner and every bit
as safe.(Back to Table)

Favorite Product Ahead of Its Time
The iPhone: Compare the Zune -- which only sold a handful-to the iPhone -- which
sold 1 million in 74 days. Wait ... there is no comparison.(Back to Table)

Most Creative Code Name 1. Katmai (SQL Server 2008): Why would you name a product after the greatest
volcanic implosion of the 20th century, in which the volcanic peak collapsed
upon itself and magma drained out to create another volcano a few miles away?

2. Longhorn: This code name is so cool, Microsoft should have named
the product after it, but which one? Longhorn once referred to both Windows
Vista and Windows Server 2008.